different types of planning?

[Kellyann36]

Hi there everybody,

Im just looking at all my paperwork so that I can improve and make sure that I am doing everything I need to be. I have been minding since January and up until now just had one little girl (20 months) one day a week.

I have not as yet done any planning as such (in the way of paperwork)

Here is what I have been doing. Observing the child, writing observation and putting it in the child's profile with a photograph of them doing the activity. In the front of the child's profile I have a printed out list of all of the areas of learning and early learning goals which I highlight and date if the observations I make link to them. At the top of each observation I put the coloured stickers (for each area of learning). At the bottom of each observation I jot ideas for next steps e.g if she had been playing with the play dough squeezing it between her fingers and using shape cutters and a rolling pin, I would write;
next steps: making biscuits
Cornflour

Then I just jot those activities into my diary on the day that she is next here.

Long term planning, I have done nothing, until last night when I sat up until 2am looking at dates of different festivals. I have printed out lists of all festivals for the year, highlighted the ones I might like to add into my planning. I have put these into a folder with dividers separating each month, so for example, April has a long list of festivals, I have highlighted 4 of them. Ugadi, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Ha'atzmaut and St georges day - and then behind the list in plastic wallets I have printouts/ideas of activities/books that I can borrow from the library that I could use that link to those celebrations. I have made a long term planning sheet which is basically a table which has a list of the months, and for each month a section I can write themes/ideas, multicultural festivals/celebrations, treasure basket/story sack ideas, childrens birthdays. - is this enough for planning?

I dont have any medium planning - I dont know what I will be doing with my mindee in 2 weeks time, do I need to do something in particular for this?

Sorry for sounding stupid, I have contacted the lady who is supposed to be my support worker twice and she hasn't got back to me, really wanting to make sure im doing my best at everything before my first ofsted visit but nobody has ever been to my home and looked at what I am already doing so I have no idea.

Thanks for reading, any ideas would be greatly appreciated:D

[blue bear]

Your planning is very simile to mine, I don't do medium term plans any more either. Have a look in the free down loads, Sarah has donated some great stuff on planning.

[jadavi]

My DO days medium term planning is not needed.

[Kellyann36]

So do you think it sounds like what I do is enough ? I will always try and improve what I do, but just need to know that i'm doing enough if that makes sense.


My DO days medium term planning is not needed.

[sarah707]

What relevance do the festivals Ugadi, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Ha'atzmaut and St georges day have to the little one in your care at the moment?

Yes they will help her to learn about the world around her but if they are not celebrated at home or in the community she lives in they will not mean anything to her.

We will be doing something with St George's Day because we have a lot of boys at the moment who love dragons, playing soldiers, making flags and shields etc. For the girls who might prefer not to do this we might offer some red and white playdough if they are interested... it will be their choice.

Planning for under 3s is about following their interests and learning styles and teaching children about the world around them from a secure basis of their home and family life.... themed activities linked to seasons, weather and home festivals can be introduced when the child is old enough... festivals like Ugadi, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut, unless relevant, can wait a few years!

Medium term planning relates to your activity ideas, colouring pictures (if the children enjoy colouring), pages downloaded from the internet with ideas on them or ripped out of magazines etc...

Hth :D

[VeggieSausage]

My long term planning is a calendar page printed for free online, on that I write on children's birthdays, festivals, important events etc

Then I count my medium term planning as the theme we may do that week/month - activity ideas etc

[Kellyann36]

See, thats what I was thinking. My children (my mindee and my own little one) are too young to understand any of it, BUT, i have some activity ideas prepared for just incase - for example, if I get a newbie who would be interested or if suddenly my little ones do show an interest. My mindee enjoys baking/cooking so for the activities for st georges day I have put making cupcakes and decorate with red and white icing. It doesn't mean Im going to stick to it but its some ideas I could use if the children would benefit. does that make sense?

I have set some theme ideas for each month on my long term plan, but again - if my little ones are engaged in something else or show an alternative interest I would follow those instead.

I think this is why I am confused, because I know that our planning is supposed to be based on the childs interests and needs, but at the same time I hear that we are supposed to have long term planning

I hope I am making sense :blush:






What relevance do the festivals Ugadi, Yom Hazikaron, Yom Ha'atzmaut and St georges day have to the little one in your care at the moment?

Yes they will help her to learn about the world around her but if they are not celebrated at home or in the community she lives in they will not mean anything to her.

We will be doing something with St George's Day because we have a lot of boys at the moment who love dragons, playing soldiers, making flags and shields etc. For the girls who might prefer not to do this we might offer some red and white playdough if they are interested... it will be their choice.

Planning for under 3s is about following their interests and learning styles and teaching children about the world around them from a secure basis of their home and family life.... themed activities linked to seasons, weather and home festivals can be introduced when the child is old enough... festivals like Ugadi, Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut, unless relevant, can wait a few years!

Medium term planning relates to your activity ideas, colouring pictures (if the children enjoy colouring), pages downloaded from the internet with ideas on them or ripped out of magazines etc...

Hth :D

[sarah707]

I know that our planning is supposed to be based on the childs interests and needs, but at the same time I hear that we are supposed to have long term planning

I hope I am making sense :blush:

Yes - you are right and making perfect sense but long term planning does not have to be complicated - and is most important for older children when they are ready to get involved!

Long term planning can be for example - April - think about the changes in the world around us during spring...

Medium term planning - things you MIGHT do - but also might not do depending on the children's interests at the time - visit the farm to see the lambs; read books about flowers; go on nature walks; make a spring display.

Short term planning - what do the children want to do? What are they currently interested in?

If a child likes jigsaws, make one featuring spring flowers / if a child likes playdough make some green and use a playdough mat to shape flower stalks or leaves / if a child likes playing dolls then chat about how to dress doll for the weather to go outside in spring / if a child likes rubbing, gather some fallen leaves / if a child likes making pictures, draw a branch and she can thumb print pink blossom!

Keep it simple I think you are over complicating it slightly and making it harder for yourself than you need to :D